MINISTERS last night disputed Labour claims more than 10,000 police officers in Wales and England could be cut over the next two years.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the job losses, revealed in a party survey of police forces up and down the country, showed the “shocking and brutal reality” of the Government’s spending cuts.

Ms Cooper said the cuts were “only the beginning” as a third of forces had yet to announce their reductions to workforces.

“Far from protecting frontline policing as ministers promised, over 10,000 police officers are being cut in the next few years alone,” she said.

“Cutting so fast and so deep into police budgets is crazy. It is completely out of touch with communities across the country who want to keep bobbies on the beat.”

He said “de-bureaucratising” the police and handing officers discretion to deal with cases were just as important as numbers on the frontline, when it came to reducing crime.

Forces across the country should be more efficient as they currently employ 5,000 staff to work on 2,000 different computer systems, while chief constables could share backroom operations such as procurement, he said.

“No, I don’t accept Labour Party figures,” Mr Herbert said. “I think it is better to wait for official figures. We have never said we can guarantee police numbers and nor has the Opposition said that.”